Tulsi Gabbard Confirms She Met With Assad During Secret Trip To Syria

[.99center]

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/tulsi-gabbard-confirms-she-met-with-assad

Esme Cribb
January 25, 2017

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) confirmed in an interview with CNN on Wednesday that she met with Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad during a recent trip to the country.

Gabbard told Jake Tapper on CNN's "The Lead" that she "hadn't planned" on meeting Assad, but took the "opportunity" when it came up.

"Bashar al-Assad is responsible for thousands of deaths and millions of people being displaced during this five-year-long civil war," Tapper said. "Did you have any compunctions about meeting with somebody like that, giving him any sort of enhanced credibility because a member of the United States Congress would meet with someone like that?"

"Whatever you think about President Assad, the fact is that he is the president of Syria," Gabbard replied. "In order for any possibility of a viable peace agreement to occur, there has to be a conversation with him."

[superpatriotman]

1. Uhh, hmm...

Not sure how to...what?

Met with Assad?

[Renew Deal]

2. She's a loose cannon

[Lucinda]

32. I doubt she did this on her own...

[geek tragedy]

3. Hadn't planned .... who paid for it? nt

[bettyellen]

4. This is crazy - she sold out to Trump I think, was always a stealth GOPer...

[geek tragedy]

7. Sold out to Trump ... or to Trump's handlers in Moscow? nt

[Uponthegears]

11. Fair question

Good question

[LisaM]

8. It's always struck me that when the DNC database was hacked around December 2016

She suddenly cut ties and then there she was everywhere, trashing the DNC and sowing her seeds of divisiveness. She was on every network, all the time. This doesn't surprise me in the least.

[Chevy]

14. Marching orders from Tad Devine no less n/t

[.99center]

13. Tulsi hasn't disclosed who paid for it.

Gabbard won't disclose who's paying for secret trip to Syria
http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/tulsi-gabbard-secret-syria-trip-233762
"Rep. Tulsi Gabbard’s office won’t say who is paying for the Hawaii Democrat’s controversial trip to Syria and Lebanon this week.

Gabbard spokeswoman Emily Latimer said the trip wasn’t funded using taxpayer dollars and was approved by the House Ethics Committee but wouldn’t provide further information when pressed by POLITICO. The lawmaker is currently on the trip, though it's not clear exactly when she'll be returning. "

[octoberlib]

18. Supposedly an NGO. Congressional leaders were shocked because she told

nobody. Well, nobody but Trump and Putin. http://www.democraticunderground.com/10028491384

[herding cats]

19. She'll have to file a report with the Ethics Committee soon.

I know I'll be waiting to see who she says funded this trip.

[brush]

22. Right. And when did it happen? Pretty certain that it happened before last Friday

Which means she went behind the back of the Obama admin. and SofS John Kerry

She's gone against Obama several times before on FOX but this is venturing into the Tom Cotton/Iran letter territory (violation of the Logan Act).

She's a dino opportunist always in search of dramatic, attention-grabbing gestures, a la her high-profile resignation from the DNC to join the progressive Sanders campaign when her blue dog record clearly shows that she's far from being a progressive.

She appears to be trying to get the attention of the trump admin.

[AngryAmish]

25. Mexico!

[herding cats]

26. Arab American Community Center for Economic and Social Services (AACCESS)Ohio is who she says paid.

I just saw it on Politico.

Speaker Paul Ryan and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi did not know about the trip in advance. Arab American Community Center for Economic and Social Services (AACCESS)–Ohio paid for the trip, Gabbard said. She had to get the trip cleared before leaving, and has to file another detailed report about the costs upon return.

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/tulsi-gabbard-met-bashar-al-assad-syria-234182

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

29. Good question!

[leftynyc]

5. She's a nut

and she's lucky that viscious piece of shit let her out of there alive. I also think the Logan Act may apply here but giving aid and comfort is certainly on the table as she went on her own.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

30. Chaulk up another strike.

[leftynyc]

31. Tried to figure out

What your post means and am coming up empty.

[teamster633]

6. "Whatever you think about President Assad, the fact is that he is the president of Syria,"

A simple substitution makes that statement sound awfully familiar...

[Uponthegears]

9. Pretty disgusting

[skylucy]

24. +100 Yep.

[Thrill]

10. She's a wacko

[brooklynite]

12. I remember when she was a big hit around here...

The times, they are a'changing...

[etherealtruth]

23. Oh yeah ... I got scathing responses to a post that simply presented her voting record ...

... in comparison to all democrats (it wasn't pretty or progressive )

[herding cats]

15. There's a very good reason Gabbard is called the GOP's favorite Democrat.

She later suggested that “the Syrian people will determine his outcome and what happens with their government,” prompting Tapper to note that their elections are not free and fair. The Hawaiian lawmaker responded that Syrians confronted her about America’s role in allegedly supporting terror-linked groups (“these so-called rebel groups,” as she described them) fighting against Assad’s regime.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheats/2017/01/25/tulsi-gabbard-confirms-she-met-with-syrian-president-assad.html

She needs to be rebuked by the Dems and face a primary challenger.

[hamsterjill]

16. Wasn't she at Standing Rock?

I think that's very interesting. Now, I'm worried.

[moondust]

17. Like Milosevic?

Yeah, that's it! Conversation!



How about instead we go with a lengthy "conversation" at The Hague...

[LaydeeBug]

20. something has always rubbed me the wrong way about her...and it was the

only real consolation from Bernie's loss (at least she wouldn't be the veep pick, because I think it would have hurt him)

And I am not tryna refight the primaries. i would have gladly voted for either.

[etherealtruth]

21. She met with someone that committed war crimes/ crimes against humanity

"Whatever you think about President Assad, the fact is that he is the president of Syria," Gabbard replied.

[AngryAmish]

27. Every side there is horrible.

But to give that worm any sort of respectability is disgusting.

[LenaBaby61]

28. Couple of my friends ...

THOUGHT she was a "good" Dem. I told them NO. They said give her a chance, she's very bright.

I hope my friends see the light with the latest revelation from the Rethugs "favorite" Democrat